Product category:
Design and Development Consultancy
News Release from: Ricardo | Subject: AFS Trinity design services
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 14 January 2008
Demonstration car produced under tight
deadlines
AFS Trinity Power asked Ricardo to help integrate the Extreme Hybrid system into two identical XH-150 demonstrators using two 2007 Saturn Vue Greenline SUVs as host vehicles.
Visitors to the North American International Auto Show were given the opportunity to see the XH-150, the first vehicle to feature AFS Trinity Power's Extreme Hybrid technology The vehicle is one of two developed by AFS Trinity and built by Ricardo under contract that were ready for testing in just five months
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 19 Nov 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Plug-in hybrids offer the prospect of dramatically extending the all-electric vehicle (EV) mode of hybrid vehicles through the use of high-capacity energy storage systems which can be recharged using grid electricity (typically overnight using discounted off-peak power).
Extreme Hybrid technology employs a dual energy storage system that combines Lithium-Ion batteries and ultra capacitors with XH power and control electronics with the aim of satisfying performance expectations of consumers and providing extended vehicle range in a highly energy-efficient and cost-effective package.
In mid July 2007, AFS Trinity Power asked Ricardo to help integrate the Extreme Hybrid system into two identical XH-150 demonstrators using two 2007 Saturn Vue Greenline SUVs as host vehicles.
Ricardo's responsibilities included integrating AFS Trinity's proprietary power and control electronics module into the vehicles, incorporating off the shelf ultracapacitors and batteries selected by AFS Trinity, design and development of a completely new Ricardo transmission for the vehicles, modifying the host vehicles' suspension and chassis control and, finally, the vehicle build.
Ricardo CEO, Dave Shemmans said: "The need to improve vehicle fuel economy is of paramount importance to automakers, governments and consumers in all parts of the world".
"Plug-in hybrids offer an attractive solution in the urban environment and are likely to play a significant role in the future".
"We are proud to have been asked by AFS Trinity to assist in producing the first demonstrator based on AFS Trinity's Extreme Hybrid technology and to have delivered the vehicle ready for testing in only five months".
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